IP1 spoke to Billy Lunn from The Subways ahead of the band’s imminent gig at Norwich’s Waterfront

Tell us a bit about your new album. You decided to do everything yourselves – writing, production, mixing… How did that come about?
It came about very naturally. I’d recorded all the demos for the previous three albums, and for this album it felt like we were confident and able enough to put all our ideas down ourselves. Hugely liberating, even if there were serious moments of doubt and panic!

You’re on a huge European tour at the moment – what’s it like?
It has been incredible. Every single show has been so special in its own singular way. 16 countries so far, and we’re about to head for Spain and then back to France before hitting the UK. We cannot wait to be back on home soil to play to our wonderful fans.

I can’t talk to you guys without mentioning Rock & Roll Queen or Oh Yeah. It’s been 10 years since those (amazing) songs came out now. How does that feel?
It’s such an incredible prospect; that our songs have remained so popular for so long. We still see ourselves as three kids from Hertfordshire banging away noisily on our instruments. It’s such a pleasure to see the crowd go insane to songs we wrote in our bedrooms aged 17!

You’ve played Glastonbury, Reading, T in the Park – some massive events. And now you’re coming to the Waterfront in Norwich. Do you like more intimate venues?
We love anywhere that’ll have us! Just the idea of getting onstage, seeing the crowd, watching the moshpit swirl, seeing everybody scream the lyrics whilst crowdsurfing – magical! And when you play the more intimate venues, it’s always that bit more intense.

You’ve been together as a band for a long time now. What’s next for The Subways?
We’re looking forward to the festival season, then some more of our own headline tours into the New Year and afterwards. After that I’ll be going to university for three years, during which I’ll be writing, recording and mixing our fifth album. Busy, busy, busy!

The Subways play the Waterfront in Norwich on April 1, 2015. Tickets are £13

Words: Daisy Jones